


Wizards are Jerks 2: Caduceus Boogaloo

by GeminiMoon14



Series: The Woes of a Goblin Girl (or How Does Nott Keep Getting into Trouble?!) [8]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Attempted Kidnapping, Caduceus and Molly because I want to, Cuddling & Snuggling, Explicit Language, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Kid Fic, Kidnapping, Magic, Molly is alive, Platonic Cuddling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:07:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,997
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25141387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GeminiMoon14/pseuds/GeminiMoon14
Summary: Again?! This happening again?! Once more, it is adorable but they had to stop letting this happen. The only upside is that they remember what happened last time and they chose the same place to rest so the transition was not that jarring.
Relationships: Beauregard Lionett & Caleb Widogast, Beauregard Lionett & Mollymauk Tealeaf, Beauregard Lionett & Yasha, Caduceus C. & Fjord & Beauregard L. & Jester L. & Nott | Veth & Mollymauk T. & Caleb W. & Yasha, Caduceus Clay & Caleb Widogast, Caduceus Clay & Fjord, Caduceus Clay & Mollymauk Tealeaf, Caduceus Clay & Nott | Veth Brenatto, Fjord & Beauregard Lionett, Fjord & Caleb Widogast, Fjord & Mollymauk Tealeaf, Fjord & Nott | Veth Brenatto, Jester Lavorre & Beauregard Lionett, Nott | Veth Brenatto & Caleb Widogast, Nott | Veth Brenatto & Yasha
Series: The Woes of a Goblin Girl (or How Does Nott Keep Getting into Trouble?!) [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1767250
Comments: 5
Kudos: 61





	Wizards are Jerks 2: Caduceus Boogaloo

_ Again _ ?! This happening  _ again _ ?! Once more, it is adorable but they had to stop letting this happen. The only upside is that they remember what happened last time and they chose the same place to rest so the transition was not that jarring.

Wizards, apparently, are not very creative. After stumbling across another magic user who was conducting unethical experiments, The Mighty Nein found themselves facing a familiar situation. At least this time there was another adult to help the situation.

The Mighty Nein had found the wizard locked in an underground laboratory, toiling away with his magic. He did not take kindly to the group of adventurers invading his practice and attacked them. His spells were unstable and dangerous enough that they worried about the whole system collapsing.

Unfortunately, The Mighty Nein had bunched together and their enemy managed to hit half of the group before Molly took his head off. The tiefling spotted a notebook off to the side and grabbed it, if only so that Caleb might figure out what their enemy was doing. While he finished the battle, Caduceus ran to Fjord and Caleb’s side and attempted to heal them. Both members had hands to their mouths and looked like they were attempting to keep their lunches from ending up on the floor.

Jester was attempting to help Nott to her feet while Yasha patted Beau’s back to sooth what effects the spell was having. Caduceus tucked himself under Fjord’s shoulder while Molly pulled Caleb onto his back and called out, “I think it’s time we got back to the hotel.” 

Yasha lifted Beau onto her shoulder and told her, “We’re going back, will you be okay?” Beau gave a weak thumbs up as she went limp in Yasha’s grasp. Jester pulled Nott close and panickedly informed her, “I’m going to pick you up now, so please don’t puke on me ‘cause that’ll really suck. I’ll totally heal you guys when I get some spells back.” Nott groaned but did not let herself lose her lunch on Jester.

The trip back to The Leaky Tap was slow but they managed to get everyone settled in just fine. Caleb and Nott flopped onto their beds and shut everyone out of their room while Jester helped Yasha settle Beau in her room. Caduceus helped Fjord into their room while Molly and Yasha stayed up to chat in their room.

Eventually, sleep came to them all and silence claimed the inn. It was about midnight when there was a child’s scream and someone shouted, “BEAU!” The members of The Mighty Nein stumbled out as a small child burst out of Beau and Jester’s room and shouted, “Fjord! Where are you?!” 

There was the sound of crying from behind one of the doors; the girl frowned as she rammed the door with her small body and the door flung open. Inside was a half-orc child in clothing far too big for him and a pink firbolg trying to calm him. 

The girl, in her too large robes, darted into the room and placed herself between the two. Caduceus’s eyes widened slightly as he asked, “Was that really necessary, Miss Beau?” Her eyes narrowed as she called out, “Molly! Yasha! Jester! There’s a weirdo with Fjord who knows my name!”

Jester came stumbling into the room first, followed by Molly and Yasha. She rubbed her eyes tiredly as she mumbled, “That’s just Caduceus, Beau.” Molly saw the child looking confused and asked, “What’s the last thing you remember?”

Beau furrowed her brow, her hair tangled from her short moment of panic, and said, “We were in bed and I told Jester I didn’t feel good.” Molly put his hands on her shoulders, gave her a smile, and told her, “That’s why Caduceus is here, to help us with another wizard situation that popped up while you were sick. He wanted to keep an eye on Fjord because we were worried his caretakers weren’t feeding him enough.”

That  _ had _ been a concern last time a spell like this had happened. Caduceus turned towards Fjord, still on the bed in the armor with tears slowly coming to a stop, and said, “I’m still worried about you all. Would you feel better with the others in here?” Fjord gave him a nervous look and nodded. 

Jester grabbed at her head as she realized the total number of the spell’s victims and went, “Oh no! What about-?” She cut herself off by running to the room Caleb and Nott had been resting in and swinging the door open. On one of the beds was a younger Caleb cradling an infant Nott.

She watched the child’s eyes turn to meet hers and whisper, “ _ Was ist _ happening?” Jester gave him a comforting smile and told him, “Don’t worry, Ca-Bren. We’ll explain everything in the morning. Did you want to stay with the others?” When he gave her a nod, she took Nott from his arms and grabbed his hand.

Molly helped Fjord calm down by pulling him into his lap and combing his fingers through the child’s hair. Caduceus watched as the boy stifled his crying and asked, “Would you like something to help calm you down?” The boy gave him a look but slowly nodded as his tiny chest heaved with his cries. 

Slowly Caduceus held a hand towards the child, a gentle glow emanating from his hand, and a sense of peace and calm settled over him. Fjord’s body relaxed and his breathing evened out as the Calm Emotions spell washed over him. 

Once calmed, Molly told Fjord, “I think Jester went to get the others and then you all can spend the night together, got it?” The boy rubbed his eyes tiredly as he nodded and curled close to the tiefling’s chest. Beau climbed on the bed beside them and asked, “Better, Fjord?” The child closed his eyes and clutched at Molly’s shirt as he mumbled, “I’m tired.” 

Beau pulled Fjord into her arms, managing to uncurl Fjord’s fingers from Molly’s shirt, and said, “Then let’s go to bed. Bren and Nott’ll show up soon too.” The half-ord smiled as Beau tugged the blankets over them and she pet his head.

Jester walked in, a sleepy redhead holding her hand and a fussy baby goblin in her available arm. Caleb crawled into the bed next to Beau and murmured, “Nott missed you.” Beau pulled him under her other arm and told him, “Yeah, just go to sleep.” Nott squealed happily as she was set beside the others and curled herself into a ball.

Caduceus raised a brow at the behavior as he commented, “This is interesting. I’m just gonna, keep an eye on’em tonight.” Molly yawned as he mumbled, “Good call, I’m gonna go to bed. Good night all.” He left the room, followed by Jester, while Yasha took up a corner of the room and asked, “You don't mind if I…?” He gave her a gesture of invitation as he laid back down and answered, “By all means. Maybe they won’t scream if you’re here.” 

By morning, the kids had climbed into Caduceus’s bed and were cuddling him. The firbolg chuckled and quietly called out, “Yasha, I think I need a little help.” Nott was curled up next to his neck and Fjord was clinging to his side. Beau was laid out on top of him and Caleb had decided to sleep on his legs. 

Yasha chuckled as she gently shook Beau and whispered, “Time to get up. I need you to wake the others.” The girl groaned and tangled her fingers in Caduceus’s fur as she mumbled, “But he’s comfy.” Caduceus smiled as he told her, “I’m flattered but the others might want to eat.” She groaned again but relinquished her grip and sighed, “Fine, I’ll get’em up.”

She tugged on Fjord first, who nuzzled into the firbolg’s side further, and told him, “C’mon, Nott’s gonna be cranky without breakfast!” He gave in, grumbling but compliant, and scooped Nott into his arms. Beau then shook Caleb and said, “Bren! C’mon time to eat.” 

He shot her a glare, one that was more intimidating than a five-year-old should be capable of, and pointedly clutched harder at his makeshift bed. She glared back and said, “Y’know you can read after, right.” He let go, pouting as he did so, and climbed off the bed.

Once downstairs, the kids settled in and dug into their food. Nott let out a loud whining noise that only stopped when Caduceus offered her something to gum on. Eventually their food arrived and Nott was more than happy with her porridge, though that did not stop her from trying to grab some bacon off of inattentive people’s plates.

Once they were settled in, Jester retrieved the outfits and toys from her Bag of Holding, thankful she had decided to keep them, and doled them out to the kids. While the kids were off changing Molly informed Caduceus about what happened the last time, including the parts where the kids displayed the abilities of their older selves. 

Eventually, Caduceus agreed to keep the knowledge under wraps and offered, “Maybe we should get Pumat to check them again, in case it lasts longer this time.” Molly nodded as Jester bounced down the stairs and said, “We should take them shopping you guys! It’s boring here and I want to show them around some more!”

Beau ran down the stairs, pretending to fight some invisible monster, followed by Fjord who was following her lead. Patrons stared at the group as Beau shouted,”Take that you vile abomination of the abyss!” Jester nearly fell over laughing while Molly gently guided Beau towards the door and called back, “Sorry folks, you know how it is with kids and their stories!”

Once in the streets, Molly turned to Beau and asked, “Who taught you that?” Beau shrugged and said, “I think I saw it in a book.” The tiefling sighed and told her, “Let’s  _ not _ shout things like that in public places. On the road sure, but not in town.” She nodded as the others trailed out.

Fjord was carrying Nott, who was doing her level best to smack someone with her rattle, and Caleb was perched on Yasha’s shoulders. Molly gave the kids a smile and asked, “How’d you kids like to see our friend Pumat Sol again?” Tiny eyes widened in wonder and excitement as the question registered in the children’s minds. 

Fjord looked down at the baby in his arms and told her, “We’re gonna see Pumat again! You excited Nottie?” The infant squealed happily and waved her rattle eagerly in response, shortly before shoving it into her mouth. Fjord laughed as he carried her behind Molly and followed the group.

Pumat told them almost the same thing he had the last time this had occurred, aside from needing to be watched over the effects were not permanent. The adults all sighed in relief and thanked the enchanter for his help. The kids were happy to see him again and somewhere during the explanation, Nott had managed to climb onto the firbolg’s shoulder. 

The infant rubbed her cheek against his fur and cooed happily. Pumat chuckled as he patted her tiny back and commented, “You're just a real cuddler aren't ya.” Fjord smiled and held his hands up to the baby and told him, “She  _ really _ likes to! And Nottie’s so cute too, so she’s the bestest baby  _ ever _ !” 

Pumat chuckled as he gently passed the infant back to the child, the baby only fussing for a few seconds. Pumat gave the boy a pat on his head and told him, “Watch out for each other and stay out of trouble, little one. Got it?” The children nodded as Beau informed him, “We do that already. I punched a guy for calling Nott names!”

Caduceus raised a brow at the rest of the group and Molly defended, “He was harassing them first it was self-defense.” The firbolg shrugged and thanked the enchanter once again before herding the children towards the door. They allowed themselves to be steered as he guided them towards a patch of shade near the store. 

The day was easy enough to pass but, it did not feel safe to remain in the city if that wizard did have some kind of following, as suggested by the notebook. He had decided to read it in case they could reverse the effects of the spell but found that it was mostly documentation of his experiments and instructions on what to do to continue them.

Molly told the others, once the children had been bundled into bed, and recommended, “I suggest we get out of town for a bit, just in case his followers manage to track us down.” Jester nodded in agreement as she insisted, “We should go tomorrow so that it’s harder to find us! We also need a safe place to hide out with the kids.”

Yasha was the one who put forth Alfield and the others agreed to make the journey. Jester even messaged Bryce, the half-elven watchmaster of the town, that moment to make sure they would be expecting them. Unfortunately, she sent it  _ during _ their conversation, which was late at night to ensure that no children would overhear.

Bryce was understanding about the situation, if a little weary and unappreciative of the late hour, but told them they would be awaiting their arrival. Jester sent an apology message and told them good night. They did not respond but at the least there was an understanding about the situation instead of an unwelcome surprise.

Telling the kids about the journey was a little more difficult. Beau seemed suspicious and questioned why they were leaving Zadash when they had been in such a rush to get here. Jester, the charming person she was, told the kids it was a super secret mission and to visit a friend that could help protect the group.

Thankfully, they believed her and even went as far as helping load the cart as quickly as they could so the ‘secret mission’ could begin. Once blankets and toys had been laid in the cart, they loaded the children into the back. They easily slid into the familiar rhythm of Beau trying to tell the kids stories in order to pass time but, it seemed that they all lacked the motivation to be content with the familiar stories.

As a result, they grew restless and Beau had begun to pester Molly with the most dreaded question, “Are we there yet?” He tried to maintain calm as she would inquire, “How much longer? Are we almost there? This is boring! There’s nothing to do!”

Thankfully, Caduceus intervened by parking himself inside the cart and asking, “What seems to be the trouble, Miss Beau?” She glared at him, still not entirely trusting of The Mighty Nein’s newest addition, and answered, “We don’t got any stories to tell and we can’t play in the cart.” The firbolg rubbed his chin in contemplation as he told the kids, “I’m not sure how well this’d work but, I could tell you a story I learned as a child.”

Beau sat there for a moment, considering her very limited options, when Fjord piped up, “I wanna hear it.” In his arms, Nott reached for the firbolg and made fussing noises. The cleric let out an amused chuckle and held his arms towards the baby, asking, “May I?” Fjord handed over the child, hesitation in his eyes, and carefully observed the way Caduceus handled his pseudo-sister.

Caduceus allowed her to curl close against his chest, arms supporting her tiny frame, and told them, “I find that stories are better when you’re all together.” Fjord and Caleb scooted closer, Beau right behind them in case there was a threat from the firbolg. He patted his lap in an open invitation. Fjord, seeing Nott safely cradled in his grip, cautiously crawled into Caduceus’s lap.

Caleb followed the other boy’s lead and sat on the other side, pulling Beau in closer. She allowed herself to be pulled along and watched as Caduceus made no attempt to do anything to prevent their approach. Boldly, she tucked herself under Caduceus’s arm and gave him a look as though to dare him to force her to move.

He let her get as close as she wanted before beginning, “The day after the Raven Queen ascended, three of her champions were given the task of dealing with one of the heroes of the war, and his body could not be maintained within a city…” The story held their attention far better than any tale Beau could conjure as they listened to the legend of the families Clay, Stone, and Dust.

Fjord especially was enthusiastic as he exclaimed, “That’s my name! The orphanage calls me Fjord Stone!” Caduceus ruffled the boy’s dark hair and told him, “That’s interesting. Who knows what The Wildmother has in store for you.” Fjord pulled Nott into his lap and pet her head as she slept. 

He looked at Caduceus with a look of wonder and asked, “Do you think that The Wildmother would like me?” Caduceus gave him a gentle smile as he pulled the child close, the others having drifted off to sleep, and told him, “I think she’d love to have you. She loves all of her children.” Fjord placed his little head against his chest and murmured, “I like this much better than Driftwood.”

The boy’s eyes closed as the firbolg combed his fingers through the child’s hair and he let out a soft chuckle. Molly glanced towards the back of the cart and smiled as he motioned for the other adults to take a peek. Jester covered her mouth to keep herself from squealing as Yasha smiled and gave Caduceus a thumbs-up.

He nodded his head in acknowledgement and continued to let the children sleep on him. Even Beau had deemed him safe enough to rest around as her arm wrapped around Caleb’s tiny body. Fjord still held Nott in his lap as Caduceus kept carding his fingers through Fjord’s inky black locks. 

Hours later, after a long nap, the children awoke to Molly’s cry of, “Lunch time! All little ones must exit the cart!” Beau rubbed at her eyes as she gently shook Caleb and told him, “I’s lunch time, Bren.” He grumbled but slowly pulled himself up and patted Fjord’s leg. The boy groaned and curled a little more into Caduceus as Caleb told him, “Food’s ready, Fjord. Time to eats.”

Fjord muttered something but ended up stumbling out of the cart, Nott in his arms still asleep. Caduceus stretched and walked over to the cooking fire to help with the food as the kids played and ran around the area. Nott was perched on Caleb’s back as he decreed, “Sie ist mein! I gots the princess!”

Beau smirked as she pointed her wooden sword, the one she had picked out the last time she was this young, at Caleb and shouted, “In the name of The Wildmother, you will not win!” She chased after him, Fjord close behind her calling, “Yeah, what she said!”

Caleb ran ahead laughing with not squealing in delight as she waved her rattle and babbled. Caduceus chuckled as Molly laughed and told him, “Looks like the kids have a favorite.” The firbolg hummed thoughtfully but kept his focus on the food he was preparing.

Jester was sketching out the children’s adventure and the cuddle pile from earlier as Yasha kept a close eye on them. She smiled as Caleb pretended to hit the ground and ‘die’ while Beau triumphantly placed Nott on Fjord’s shoulders.

Fjord smiled and proclaimed, “Princess Nottie is safe! All thanks to the, the-” He paused, looking for the right words as Beau supplied, “The grace of the Wildmother!” He smiled and agreed, “Yeah, that!” Molly elbowed Caduceus and commented, “Yup, you’re the favorite.” 

Ignoring the tiefling’s claim, Caduceus called out, “Food’s done!” The children came running, abandoning their roles, and lined up. Beau made sure that Fjord went first and that he was followed by Caleb. Fjord scuffed his boots in the dirt as he said, “The others cango first I don’t-… I-I can wait-” 

Caduceus cut him off by handing him a plate of food, the scent of spices wafting up, and telling him, “Enjoy your lunch, Fjord.” Fjord turned a deep shade of green as the cleric gave him a pat on the head and gestured for him to sit down. The boy grinned as he sat himself beneath a nearby tree and waited for the others to join him. 

Once the kids got their food, the adults sat with them and ate. Caduceus also gave the kids some of his tea to drink and had made something soft enough Nott could eat it. Fjord looked close to tears as he dug into his food, a gentle pat on his shoulder from Molly reminding him to not eat too fast.

Beau smiled as she dug in and Caleb was exclaiming, “ _ Das is gut _ ! It’s good  _ Herr _ Cadu-Cad…” Caduceus smiled as he told him, “You can call me Cad if it’s easier.” The child returned the smile and agreed, “ _ Ja _ , okay,  _ Herr _ Cad.” The firbolg smiled as he watched the children enjoying his food. 

Afterwards, the kids climbed back in the cart and they eventually settled into camp. They placed one of the tent canvases over the top of the cart where the children were fast asleep. Jester crawled in around them, claiming she wanted to cuddle with them while the rest of them took watches. Molly simply leaned back on his bed roll and asked Yasha to wake him for his watch.

The first watch went well, not a leaf disturbed, as did the second. By the time Caduceus’s watch rolled around, it seemed nothing had occurred. It was only ten minutes into his watch when he heard rustling in the bushes. He waited for a moment before calling out, “I think we have company!”

No sooner did the words leave his mouth when an arrow embedded itself in his shoulder. He let out a grunt of pain as Molly shot up and activated his scimitars. Yasha pulled out her Magician’s Judge and stood up, waiting for their enemy to reveal themself. Jester woke with a start and told the children, “Stay here! I’m going to go beat up bad guys so stay safe and, you know, keep hidden, okay?” They all nodded as she drew her axe and left the cart.

The battle was tough, there were multiple casters and someone who kept shooting arrows from the shadows. The children huddled close as the sounds of fighting grew louder and Nott began to whimper and cry. Fjord tried to console her but she was far too frightened by the angry noises outside the cart.

Unfortunately, her cries were loud enough that a couple of the mages heard her and uncovered where the children had been staying. They all shrieked in fear as Nott’s crying turned into wails of fear and clutched at Fjord’s tunic. 

One of the mages, a hood low over his face, grinned and grabbed at the nearest child. Caleb let out a loud shriek of terror as the man grappled the child and reached for another. Fjord curled himself around Nott and bolted out of the cart. He ran away as Beau attempted to attack the man holding Caleb.

The other mage locked his arms around her torso and pulled her away from his ally. She kicked as she screamed, “MOLLY! YASHA!” The two adults turned around and saw what was happening and hurried to take care of their opponents.

Fjord ran away, a third enemy having spotted the commotion, and was pursued. The man chased the child and eventually managed to snatch him up. Fjord clutched at Nott and tucked her even closer to his body. The man struggled to lift the child as he wrapped himself around the baby.

He growled as he demanded, “Let go you little shit!” Fjord refused to move as Nott wailed and screamed in his grip. The man smacked the child’s head and grabbed at his arm. He resisted and screamed out, “NO!” The adult’s face turned red, from what could be seen, as he slammed a fist into the child’s side and ordered, “Cut it out or else!”

Fjord lifted his face only so that he could spit in the man’s face as he rewrapped himself around Nott. The man let out a disgusted noise before his foot slammed into Fjord’s small body, repeating the motion a few more times. The five-year-old hit the ground but refused to uncurl as Nott’s wails grew louder and he whispered, “I got you Nottie. It’ll be okay.” 

Frustrated, the man drew his dagger from his hip and warned, “If you don’t start listening, you little beast, I’m gonna start carving.” The child glared at the man and told him, “You look like a demon toad!” The man’s face turned a darker shade of red as he raised his blade. Fjord pulled himself up so that he was hovering above Nott, the baby’s golden eyes filled with tears as he whispered, “He ain’t gonna touch you, Nottie. I’m here.” She reached for his face, still whimpering, and babbled, “Fuh… For… Fjor!” As the child gave her a smile, the dagger descended.

There was no blow, no white-hot pain that meant he had been stabbed. Slowly, Fjord looked around and saw where there was a man that had attacked him was Caduceus holding his hand over a pile of fungus and plants. Caduceus’s face was twisted in anger as his hands glowed over the pile of flowers and mushrooms.

As soon as he saw Fjord looking at him, the firbolg’s face softened and he gently murmured, “Let’s get you fixed up.” His hand turned golden as he placed his hand on Fjord’s forehead and divine magic entered the child’s body and took some of the pain away.

There were still a few places that were sore, and bruises were likely to form, but Fjord ignored them and pushed himself into Caduceus’s arms. Nott crawled over to them as Fjord’s eyes filled with tears and he grabbed at Caduceus’s armor. He scooped Nott into his arms as he enveloped them both in a comforting hug. The baby pushed herself under Fjord’s jaw and chanted, “”Fjor! Fjor! Fjor!” 

As he held the children, Caduceus looked over to where Beau was clinging to Molly and crying while Yasha and Jester attempted to calm Caleb. He pulled the children closer to his chest as he lifted them up and carried them over to the rest of the group. 

Once he arrived, Jester winced and cautiously asked, “Caduceus, do you need any help?” He gave her a confused look as she pointed to his shoulder and said, “It’s just… you got a little… doesn’t that hurt?” He glanced at his shoulder, right above Fjord’s head was the arrow from earlier, still bleeding somewhat. 

He shrugged it off and told her “In a bit, let’s get them settled down a little.” She gave him a look like he was being dumb but helped him resettle the children he was carrying in the cart. They refused to let go of him and Caduceus ended up sitting in the cart as Jester removed the arrow and sent a little healing his way. 

He took it gladly as Beau wailed, “I couldn’t stop’im! He grabbed me an’ I couldn’t hit him! I’m sorry!” Molly tucked her head into his neck and held her as he told her, “It’s not your fault, we should’ve kept a closer eye on you lot.” He pressed a kiss into her hair as she sniffled and patted her back as he reassured, “You did all you could. You did everything you should have and I’m  _ so _ proud of you all.”

Molly pulled her in front of him, put his hands on her shoulders, and insisted, “You did everything right.” He kissed her forehead and placed her in the cart. She rubbed her eyes to clear up any remaining tears and crawled over as she asked, “You okay, Deuces?” He smiled at the familiar nickname and replied, “I’ll be fine. Did they hurt you?” 

She shrugged, winced a little from the movement, and answered, “Maybe a little but, I just wanna sleep.” He pulled her closer and told her, “I think that can be arranged.” His legs were stretched out in front of him and he was leaning against the front wall of the cart. He had Fjord under one arm, barely awake, and Nott curled up beside him clutching at the firbolg’s pants. 

Beau tucked herself in on the opposite side and waited for Caleb to join them. The remaining child was still crying and clinging to the women trying to console him. Caleb refused to be set back in the cart and would cling to whoever was holding him even tighter. Caduceus gave the child one of his most reassuring smiles and offered, “How would you like another story, little one?”

The human child gave him a look but slowly allowed the others to set him back down and crawled over to the cleric. Beau patted Caduceus’s lap and the boy settled in, head against the firbolg’s chest. Caduceus smiled as he began, “When I was younger, I was a bit of a practical joker and our pranks could get a little out of hand…” 

He told a story of a prank he had pulled on his older brother Colton and soon the children’s breathing evened out. He gave the children a quick once over and found they were all fast asleep. Jester gave him a wink as she whispered, “You can totally take a rest, I’ll take this watch.”

Her skirt had faint traces of blood from when she had caved in the skull of the mage who had grabbed Caleb. Her eyes had burned with a fury that the rest of them had not seen before as her Spiritual Weapon had smashed into him. Molly had been the one to carve into Beau’s attempted kidnapper.

Molly had grabbed Beau and pulled her out of the man’s arms as he used his scimitar to eviscerate his opponent. The maneuver had kept the child from seeing it and kept them clear of the blood spray. Thankfully, Beau had immediately wrapped her body around Molly’s torso and shoved her face into his chest.

Yasha had taken care of the rest with some help from Caduceus before he could get to Fjord. Her rage had been easy to muster when she saw them grabbing the kids. Beau’s scream had nearly sent her into a frenzy as she carved a path over to the cart. Once the kids were safe, she had to calm down to try and reassure them everything was alright. She did not expect Caleb to cling to her so tightly but was thankful he trusted her.

Now though, Caduceus was content to let Jester take over what would have been his watch as the children all clung to him. He let out a sigh as he relaxed and slowly fell asleep vaguely aware of how the children reached for one another while unconscious. A smile played on his lips as he succumbed to the welcoming embrace of sleep.

In the morning, no one dared move the sleeping mass of limbs and started the day without them. When the group did awake, it was one by one. Caduceus was the first awake, pinned beneath a pile of children and unable to move. Yasha had spotted his predicament and offered to help but he gently declined. 

The next awake was Fjord, who had sensed Nott beginning to fuss in her sleep. He quickly hummed to her and cuddled back into Caduceus’s side. He was followed by Beau and Caleb who smelled breakfast was almost ready and decided that it was time to wake up. Free to move, Caduceus slid out of the cart and helped the kids onto the ground.

Once breakfast was eaten, they packed back up and continued on their journey. The kids once more put together some sort of game where they would lay back in the cart and make pictures with the clouds. Jester also contributed to their artistic endeavors with a few sheets of parchment and charcoal for them to draw with.

The day passed quickly, with a brief break for lunch and for the children to stretch their legs, and soon enough they found a spot to rest for the night. It was then they encountered a few troubles. The children pressed themselves close to the nearest adult and refused to move. 

If they were not clinging to an adult, they were holding close to one another. At one point, Yasha had the whole group trailing close behind her. It would have been funny if the reason for it were not so sad. The fear that overtook the children was saddening and worrying.

Jester was the only one who did not mind having the children all to herself after dinner and distracted them with games she would play as a child. They seemed to settle in easily after that and Jester was more than happy to be the one they all slept on. Their heads all on her lap with Nott cradled in her arms.

The next day was the last leg of the journey. Molly predicted that they would arrive in Alfield by midday. Curious, Caleb asked, “ _ Wen treffen wir? _ ” When Yasha gave him a confused look, he clarified, “Who are we meeting?” Jester smiled, poked his nose, and answered, “We are meeting our friend Bryce. They’re  _ super _ cool.” 

Beau, Nott on her shoulders and sucking on her rattle, smiled as she asked, “What do they do?” Molly, still on his horse, replied, “They’re the watchmaster if I recall correctly. They protect the town.” Beau nodded in understanding as Fjord asked, “Are they nice?” Yasha, from her place at the front of the cart, was the one who answered this time and said, “Very.”

As expected, they reached the town of Alfield while the sun was at its peak. They hurried into The Feed and Mead Tavern to secure rooms for the night. The old dwarf, Crute, who ran the tavern recognized the members of The Mighty Nein and greeted them with a, “Wasn’t expecting you to come round, what can I do for you?”

Molly gave him one of his most charming smiles and told him, “We need a pair of rooms for us and the kids, you wouldn’t happen to have space available?” Crute rubbed his chin as he tried to recall and answered, “I think we have a couple vacancies you’re more than welcome to after all your help. Just keep those kids in line and we’ll have no issues here.”

Molly gave him another smile and pulled out the coin as he reassured the dwarf, “We’ll keep them in line, they’re pretty good kids.” Crute took a look at the children as they clutched at the adults’ hands and shrugged. Thankfully, the townsfolk were still very grateful for their help with the gnolls and seemed to not be upset by the strange crowd.

Once they put their stuff in their rooms, The Mighty Nein made their way to Salt Trench Jail to meet with Watchmaster Bryce. Bryce was taken aback by the new appearance of the band of heroes who had gotten rid of the gnolls and cleared the mines. The kids were perched on the shoulders of a different adult: Molly had Nott, Jester had Caleb, Yasha had Beau, and Caduceus had Fjord.

The half-elf ran a hand through their blond hair and commented, “I see why you were so worried about enemies.” Beau, from her place on Yasha’s right shoulder, called down, “I like your armor! It looks cool.” Caleb, hands on Jester’s horns to support him, nodded and shyly added, “ _ Ja, es ist tolle _ .”

They gave the children a smile as they held their hand out and said, “Thank you, I am Watchmaster Bryce Feelid.” Beau climbed down the barbarian woman to shake Bryce’s hand and tell them, “My name’s Beau. I’m the oldest so I look after my brothers and sister.” They quirked an eyebrow but simply told the girl, “A pleasure, Beau. Would you introduce me to your siblings?”

Beau nodded eagerly as she pointed to the goblin playing with Molly’s jewelry and stated, “That’s Nott, she’s the baby. She likes hugs and shiny things.” Bryce nodded along as Jester lowered Caleb, who quickly ducked behind Beau, and the human girl told them, “This is Bren. He’s pretty shy so, if you pick on him I’ll beat you up!” 

Molly’s hand smacked his face and he groaned as Beau felt Caleb nudge her side and added, “Oh, also he likes books.” Fjord refused to move from his place on Caduceus’s shoulders and shyly looked at Bryce from the firbolg’s pink hair as he muttered, “I’m Fjord.” 

Beau waited for a few moments to see if that was all he wanted to say before tacking on, “Yeah, he’s Nott’s big brother and he’s also shy so, same thing.” Jester giggled as she, half-heartedly, scolded, “Beau, you can’t threaten to beat up adults.” The girl made a face and retorted, “But you said I did good when I punched that one guy in the balls.”

Bryce gave an alarmed look to the adult members of the party as Yasha told her, “That was self-defense. You can’t attack someone for no reason.” The human girl nodded like she understood before turning back to Bryce and saying, “Okay, but you seem cool so I won’t have to hurt you anyway.”

Bryce gave her a smile and said, “I’m glad.” They turned back to Molly, whose horns had a baby clinging to him while she held her rattle in her mouth, and asked, “Care to explain what happened?” He gave her a weak smile and said, “When the little ones are in bed, for now let’s catch up.”

Bryce agreed to help keep the, now younger, remaining members of The Mighty Nein safe. Jester gave her one of her happiest smiles as she exclaimed, “Thank you so much, Bryce! We really appreciate it.” Bryce’s eyes flicked towards the room where the children were safely tucked away with Caduceus as they breathed, “It’s definitely interesting.”

Yasha allowed a small smile as she turned to Jester and asked, “Did you want to check on them?” The tiefling girl shot up from her seat as she squealed, “Ohmygosh! They’re probably all cuddled up with Caduceus again! I’m gonna go draw them!” She vanished and they heard her run away from their gathering.

Quietly, Jester entered the room and glanced at the beds. As expected, Caduceus was buried beneath a pile of sleeping children, though he seemed to be awake. He glanced at her and whispered, “I’d greet you properly but I’m a little stuck right now.” 

She grinned and offered, “I could take a couple of them if it’d help.” He shook his head and told her, “Nah, they need their sleep. Besides, it’s nice under here.” She huffed as she quietly moaned, “I  _ know _ , they’re just so cuddly.” Fjord stirred at the sound and murmured a soft, “My sister, mine,” and snuggled closer to Caduceus

Jester smiled and pet his hair as he drifted back to sleep. He leaned into the touch as Jester whispered, “The people at the orphanage were mean to him. He told us once that he wasn’t allowed to play with toys and Molly once told him to slow down- you know, so he wouldn't choke or something- and he tried to give back the bowl.”

Caduceus looked down at the child on his chest, his tiny fingers grasping at Beau’s tunic and a baby on his back, and frowned. Jester’s eyes blazed with anger as she told him, “He was so scared when he got the bowl back. And when we saw he had his powers he almost ran away. He cried.” Her fingers were combing through his hair and the boy let out a happy sigh as Jester hissed, “They told him he was bad. I swear if I ever meet those fuckers I’m gonna Guiding Bolt them up the butt.”

The firbolg grabbed her other hand and told her, “I think I’ll join you if we do.” Her expression softened as she looked over the bed and whispered, “You guys look so comfy!” He smiled and offered, “Wanna join?” 

She smiled and carefully climbed in, a couple of the kids instinctively drawn to the new source of warmth. Jester smiled and quietly called out, “Good night, Caduceus.” He chuckled, the rumble in his chest causing a few kids to sigh happily, and replied, “Good night, Jester.”

The next morning, Jester woke up to the giggles of children and the feeling of something on her face. She sat up in time to see Molly, a smug and amused look on his face, as he remarked, “Told you, you were a horrible influence.” She glared at him and walked out of the room towards the washroom. 

She looked in the mirror to see he had drawn on her face. Instead of it being traditional doodles, much like she had done to Molly, it was a colorful, splotchy, mess on her face. It was like Nott had been given paints and run amok on her face. She shrieked, Tone bothe scolding and angry, “MOLLY!

He laughed in the main hall, fist pounding on the table and snorting. The kids also shook with mirth while Caduceus fed the infant in his lap. He turned his head in confusion as he asked, “Am I missing something?” Yasha shook her head as she told him, “No, I don’t understand either.” Molly sighed and told them, “Ah! Just a little payback.”

Jester came down, paint mostly washed off, and ate her breakfast while glaring at Molly. He gave her a smile while his tail flicked about, causing Nott’s focus to hone in on the movement. Jester pointed her fork at him accusingly and warned, “I’ll get you back for this.” His smile turned into a smirk as he retorted, “I would love to see you try-!” 

He yelped as something clamped onto his tail and pulled. Glancing downwards, he saw Nott with her hands firmly wrapped around his tail just in front of the tip. Caduceus laughed as Molly’s tail lifted Nott’s arms above her head and the tiefling told her, “You shouldn’t grab people’s tails dear.”

The goblin girl giggled and held tight to the limb while Caduceus held her waist. Molly gave her a small laugh and told her, “You’ve had your fun but now I need my tail back.” He tried to tug it out of her hands but she doggedly continued to hold his tail. He tugged a little harder but instead of her losing grip, she wrapped her legs around it.

Jester snorted as Molly tried to free his tail from the adorable clutches of the infant. He shot her a look and asked, “A little help here?” She pretended to think it over; until Nott decided that she wanted to see what tieflings tasted like and tried to put the tip of the tail in her mouth. Jester ran forward and stopped her, at the price of her own hand being covered in baby drool.

Nott whined and started huffing at her but Jester simply helped set Molly’s tail free. She whimpered and started making grabbing motions as she struggled in the tieflings arms. Tears started to form in her golden eyes as she called, “Fjor!” 

Fjord immediately walked over as the baby called his name and cried. He reached his hands up to take her from Jester and, once she was safe in his arms, told her, “Molly wanted his tail back.” She seemed to pout and sulk as she wrapped small arms around his neck and sniveled.

He patted her back reassuringly and hummed a little tune under his breath as he walked her in a circle, staying close to the adults. She settled down and fell asleep with her head on his shoulder. Fjord carried her proudly as they met up with Bryce again. They gave the boy a smile as he whispered, “I get to carry Nottie today!”

They spent the day shopping, the watchmaster helping keep an eye out for danger as the other members completed their purchases. At one point, Fjord was struggling to carry an energetic Nott and asked Bryce to help. No sooner did they lean down to help the child when the baby launched herself into their arms. 

The baby seemed to cuddle up to the armor and cooed happily. They jumped for a moment but soon found themselves cradling an infant reaching for their hair and a half-orc child clutching their hand. When they glanced down, Fjord scuffed the dirt with his boot and told them, “I’m supposed to stay near the adults.”

Bryce sighed but did not tell him to let go of them. They walked towards the group with an uncomfortable look on their face that shifted to alarm as Fjord froze in place. His hand was firmly latched onto Bryce’s gauntlet and a look of alarm on his face.

Nott looked down, saw the look on Fjord’s face and called out, “Fjor?” Bryce felt their own body lock in place soon after, Nott still in their arms. The baby seemed to sense the change and called out a little louder, “Fjor?!” Bryce strained against the spell and tried to call for help but they could not overcome the spell.

From the corner of their eye, Bryce could see a figure pull the baby out of their arms and felt another pull Fjord’s hand out of their own. Nott, upon seeing the same robes as the night Fjord was hurt, shrieked at the top of her lungs. The Mighty Nein turned in time to see one of the robed figures holding Nott and the other lifting Fjord onto their shoulder. 

Yasha’s Necrotic Shroud unfurled as she shouted, “DON'T MOVE!” Jester pulled Caleb into her arms and yelled, “You put them down right now!” Beau, in true Beauregard fashion, ran at the men and slammed her fist into the man holding Fjord. He winced and hissed in pain as she kicked her foot up into his groin.

The one holding Nott, who was still screeching in fright, muttered something under his breath and Beau went still. The spell’s hold on Bryce however faded and they immediately swung their morning star at the one holding Nott. He ducked out of the way, letting out a curse as he retreated back a few feet. 

Molly scooped Beau into his arms with a muttered, “What did you do?” And swung a blade at the one holding Fjord. That one shrieked in pain as the blade cut across his chest and he reeled back. By this point, Yasha was finally within range and swung at the one holding Nott. They screamed in terror as her blade dug into their side, Nott also screaming in fright at the commotion.

Seeing the situation turning on them, the mage hissed, “Grab what you can and return.” Their form imploded as they vanished, taking Nott with them. The one holding Fjord latched a hand onto Beau and followed suit. While they were distracted, Caleb felt something tear him away from Jester’s arms and he flew into the arms of another mage and vanished in the same vortex as the others.

Fjord was locked inside a cage, a bit of rope tying his legs to the bars, and scared out of his mind. Next to his container was another cage with Beau inside, her wrists and ankles were cuffed. She was still struggling, occasionally stopping in order to comfort the others. 

Caleb had his ankle chained to a peg in the floor and had seated himself beside Beau’s cage, a small sniffle echoing in the chamber every now and again. They could hear Nott crying from the next room as whispers flitted through.  _ “It’s clever, Master managed to repay them.” “What shall we do, he’s gone.” “We’ll put it to a vote, all of us.” “Put it with the others and make it shut up.” _

Light flooded the room and lit up the darkened corners their lantern did not reach. They winced as the light hit their eyes and Nott’s cries grew louder as the mage entered.” He shoved the baby into Caleb’s arms and ordered, “Shut it up or else.” The five-year-old bit his lip as he curled himself over the baby and tried to rock her. 

He left, leaving them with only their lantern and each other. Caleb sniffled as he muttered, “ _ Sie kommen, sie kommen, sie kommen _ .” Beau shuffled over so that she was against the bars, reached through the gap between the bars, and grabbed the boy’s hand. Fjord curled into himself as the tears he had been holding back fell. 

Beau looked at him helplessly and whispered, “They’ll get us, Fjord. We just gotta wait.” Caleb turned to Beau and asked, “Can Nott go in there with you?” Beau paused before adjusting so she would be able to take the baby as Caleb slid her between the bars.

She smiled, slowly moved to the other side of her cage, and whispered, “Here, Fjord. I think she wants you more than me or Bren right now.” He took the baby quickly and tucked her head under his chin, one of her large ears pressed against his chest. Her cries all but vanished as she grabbed at his tunic.

For a few hours, they were left to their own devices. Nott settled against Fjord, who was slowly rocking himself back and forth. Beau held Caleb’s hand and whispered reassurances to the group. Those hours brought some comfort however, they could not be left too long.

The person who entered seemed pleased at the way the children moved away from them as he said, “Feeding time.” He tossed a loaf of bread at Beau, who scowled and bit her lip to keep her from saying something rude. As he exited the room, he kicked the cage Fjord and Nott were in. The baby whined but Fjord kept her from crying out and the man cackled as he slammed the door.

Beau growled as she muttered, “What a fucking asshole.” Fjord and Caleb let out a weak chuckle as the latter whispered, “A real  _ arschloch _ .” Beau giggled a little and tore off a chunk of bread and handed it to Caleb. Fjord looked at the baby in his arms and murmured, “Can she even eat the bread?”

Beau frowned as she handed him a piece and suggested, “Maybe if you break it into super tiny pieces she can.” He tore off a tiny chunk of bread and tore that chunk into smaller bits until he was left with little more than a pinch of bread. He placed it onto her mouth and watched as she gummed it down, making an unhappy face.

He gave her a triumphant smile as he worked on tearing the bread so she could eat and ate the other half of their share. Nott resisted a couple of times, seeming to not like the bread instead of what she had previously been fed, but allowed Fjord to feed her what was available.

They sat in their room for what felt like hours, silence crushing them, when they heard something outside. Fjord, like he always did when there was danger, covered Nott with his body and pushed himself towards the back of the cage. Caleb pressed closer to the bars of Beau’s cage and the girl grabbed his hand as she quietly asked, “What was  _ that _ ?!”

There was a shout of alarm and something slammed into the wall beside the door on the other side. Fjord jumped and moved closer to Beau’s prison, eyes wide with fright. Beau kept her eyes on the door as another shout and slamming noise rumbled through the room. 

The sounds went quiet for a moment when they heard a familiar battlecry and a woman’s voice scream, “GIVE THEM BACK!” Caleb’s eyes widened as he whispered, “Yasha?!” There came a shriek of anger as another woman screamed, “Die you dickless, piece of shit, kidnappers!” Fjord let himself smile as he laughed, “That’s Jester!” 

Something slammed against the door and a low voice rumbled, “I suggest you tell me where you’re keeping the kids.” The door’s handle rattled for a bit before it opened and a robed figure collapsed on the dirt covered floor, revealing Caduceus holding a hand up that was still glowing with remnants of magic. 

He looked over the kids, ran into the room, and called out, “Found them!” Caleb was the closest as Caduceus crouched down, took the kid into his arms, and reassured, “We’re here, I got you.” He glanced at the various binds on them and frowned. Caduceus turned towards the still open door and shouted, “Look for keys!” 

A familiar purple face popped in the doorway for a moment and told him, “Will do! Keep’em safe for us!” He vanished as quickly as he appeared and from somewhere else in the other room Jester shouted, “Take this you asshole!” Caduceus glanced at the other children and asked, “Are you hurt? Is anyone in pain or need something?” 

Fjord’s eyes flicked down to the baby in his arms as he told him, “Nottie didn’t like the bread they gave us and I think she’s still hungry.” The others nodded in agreement as Caduceus took Nott from Fjord and told them, “I’ll make something when we’re back in town.”

At that point they heard Bryce shout, “Die you filthy child abductors!” They all tried to glance out the door, to no avail with Caduceus blocking the battle from sight, as the firbolg remarked, “Bryce was very helpful with locating their hideout. They weren’t happy with them taking kids.”

The sounds of fighting died out soon and Molly walked in with a ring of keys as he told them, “As promised, one ring of keys for our little miscreants.” As his gaze settled on the kids’ binds, his red eyes narrowed and he hissed, “ _ Cuffs _ . They put you in  _ cuffs _ ?!” Beau gave him a weak smile as she told him, “They didn’t like it when I kicked’em in the balls.” 

He handed Caduceus the keys as he told her, “Nice work but no more getting kidnapped.” She gave him a smile as he turned to Fjord and asked, “You doing okay in there?” He nodded and replied, “Yeah, Deuces promised to make us food.” Molly reached through the bars and ruffled the child’s hair. 

Once freed, the children immediately flung themselves into the arms of the closest adult. Fjord wrapped his arms around Molly and shoved his head under the tiefling’s chin alongside Beau, who had her arms around his neck and her head on his shoulder. He simply enveloped them in a large hug and told them, “It’s okay, we’re here.”

Caleb was tucked against Caduceus’s throat and clinging to his armor. Jester joined Molly’s hug while Yasha held Nott so that Caduceus could lift Caleb. Bryce watched with a smile on their face as the group slowly lifted the children up and carried them out of the cave system the mages were using for a hideout.

The trek back to Alfield was long and by the time they reached their hotel, the children were fast asleep. Beau was slumped over Jester’s shoulder, soft snores emanating from the small form. Fjord was cradled carefully in Molly’s arms, occasionally kicking a foot and leaning further into his embrace.

Caleb was trying his best to not fall asleep and his head kept falling forward only to jerk up again. Eventually, Caduceus placed a hand over the child’s eyes and pressed his head against his chest. Within seconds, Caleb was fast asleep with a peaceful look on his face.

Nott had managed to wriggle her way into Yasha’s cloak hood and fell asleep against her back. Yasha was confused but allowed the babe to rest against her. Nott let out a soft squeal that was probably her version of a yawn. Yasha grinned and whispered to Molly, “She’s really cute like this.”

They finally made it and all tucked into the same room. They decided to take the mattresses off of the beds and push them together so they could all rest together. Jester gently lowered Beau down first, careful to not wake her up, and curled up above the girl’s head. 

Next, Caduceus sat down with Caleb, gently brushing the hair out of his face. Molly laid himself down on the other side of Beau with Fjord, who reached out to grab the older girl’s hand. Caleb also reached for her, managing to grasp her tunic from where his head laid in Caduceus’s lap.

Yasha carefully lowered herself onto the makeshift bed, convincing Caduceus to pull the baby out of her hood. The infant fussed and whined until she was placed between Beau and Fjord and she cooed, “Fjor… Bo… Breh!” 

Jester let out a quiet squeal as the baby babbled, “Bo ah’ Fjor! ‘Eep.” Molly chuckled and slowly pet her head as he whispered, “That’s right, time to sleep.” She giggled sleepily and closed her golden eyes with a sigh. The rest of The Mighty Nein chuckled as they settled in and slowly allowed themselves to fall asleep.

The next morning was filled with the shrieks of an unhappy baby. The adults of The Mighty Nein jumped as the shrieking baby swung her tiny fists and screamed, tears rolling down her scrunched up face. Jester sighed as she lifted the crying baby into her arms and asked, “Noooott what’s wrong?” 

The goblin baby kept crying and kicking her sock covered feet in a bout of anger. Jester avoided the kicks and hits but nearly dropped her when she felt teeth sink into her arm. The tiefling yelped in alarm, the bite having not broken the skin, and quickly caught the infant as she scolded, “No, Nott! No biting!”

Caduceus raised a brow in interest as he questioned, “Biting?” He glanced over and sure enough, there were a couple of fang like teeth in her tiny maw. He took her from Jester, who was rubbing at her arm, and said, “I think I have something that might help.” 

Caduceus took a leaf from his pocket, scraped it, and rubbed it against her gum line. Her cries gradually quieted and she looked up at Caduceus, eyes still slightly watery. He gave her a small smile as he continued to rub the leaf against the sore area and she started to drool. She grabbed at his wrist and purred. He chuckled and commented, “You’re getting big aren’t you.”

He lifted her onto his shoulder and patted her back soothingly as she slowly fell back asleep. Jester and the other adults gave him incredulous looks as Molly asked, “ _ What _ was that?!” Caduceus gave them a lazy smile as he replied, “A little something to numb the pain. It won’t last forever but I figured she would appreciate a little help.”

The baby let out a sigh, drool falling out of her mouth onto his shirt, and happily grabbed at his shirt. Jester made a face as she told him, “You got a little… a little drool right there.” He waved it off as he said, “Ah it’s just part of nature. She can’t help it.”

When next they awoke, it was to Fjord exclaiming, “Nottie’s got teeth!” Beau was looking over the boy’s shoulder at the smiling baby in his lap with an expression of awe. Caleb looked at her mouth curiously and asked, “Can she bite?” Jester stretched and told him, “Oh definitely! She will totally bite.” 

The kids jumped at her voice as Caleb inquired, “How do you know?” She poked the baby’s nose as she replied, “Because she bit me this morning ‘cause she was cranky.” As they spoke, the infant started to dry again and reached for Caduceus. He pulled out another leaf and repeated the process.

Drool ran down her chin as she blew raspberries and clutched her sock covered feet. Beau made a disgusted face before using a rag from one of the adults, she could not remember who gave it to her, to wipe the saliva off. Fjord scooped the baby up as she blew another raspberry at Beau and giggled. 

Beau grinned and blew one back causing the baby to laugh and try to blow a bigger one. Caduceus chuckled as all of the kids sat there and blew raspberries at one another, trying to make the loudest and longest one. Eventually, they stopped when Caleb took a deep breath and let out one of the loudest raspberries the others had ever heard.

Nott laughed, delighted by the noise, and clapped her hands together almost like she was applauding him. Once the contest was over, Caduceus gathered the children and herded them towards the main lobby for breakfast. The rest of The Mighty Nein watched as their firbolg cleric entered with the children in tow.

Breakfast was a quick affair and soon after Bryce appeared, holding something behind their back. Beau noticed this immediately and asked, “What’cha got?” They smiled at the girl and told the kids, “A special treat for some very brave children.” They held out a few small daggers, one for each child. 

Beau took hers with a look of awe as Bryce explained, “In case anyone grabs you again, use this to defend yourself.” Caleb seemed hesitant but eventually grabbed the blade and held it firmly. Fjord took the dagger solemnly and told Bryce, “Thank you. I love it.” 

Bryce then revealed a small stuffed toy and offered it to Nott. It was a small bear with a shiny ribbon tied in a bow around its neck. She grabbed it happily and pulled it close. Compared to her it was pretty big but she simply hugged it. Molly smiled at the half-elf and said, “Thank you. I think that’s what they all needed.”

Bryce nodded as Jester decreed, “Who wants to go practice?!” There was a pause, just for a moment, before three children bolted out the tavern dragging Jester with them. As they passed, she stuck her tongue out at the others and called, “Later suckas!” 

Molly ran after her shouting, “You’re not causing mischief without me!” Yasha shrugged as Caduceus slowly rose from his seat, baby still in hand, and remarked, “We should keep an eye on them.” Bryce chuckled and told him, “I-uh, I think I’ll help with that.”

The training was not a  _ complete _ disaster, that said by the end of the session both Caduceus and Jester had to cast Cure Wounds at least a few times. These castings were usually followed by an apology from one of the children. Nott at least stayed cuddled up to her new toy, only fussing when her gums started to ache.

That was how the days in Alfield passed: training with daggers, followed by lunch, a few games to help the kids run off extra energy, and then they would head back to eat dinner and rest. Caleb would also practice reading his book with Beau’s help and Fjord learned how to treat Nott’s gums. 

It almost seemed too soon that the familiar pain of the spell ending came to them. In order to help with what would happen by daybreak, they gave each child a blanket and told them it was so they would not have to worry about the blanket being hogged. The children simply agreed to it as the adults decided to stay with them on their last night, trying to soothe their pain.

Once more, when the birds awoke and sang their happy tunes for the day while the sunbeams streaked through the window, there was the sound of screaming. Beau wrapped her blanket around her, the children’s clothes that once belonged to her laying on the mattress, as she shrieked, “What the  _ fuck _ is going on!” 

Fjord had his blanket draped around his waist as he struggled to stand without revealing anything. He looked at the rest of the group and exclaimed, “How the  _ hell _ does something like this happen more than once?!” Caleb had covered himself like his blanket was cloak and was muttering, “ _ Das passiert nicht, es ist nur ein taum _ .”

Nott had completely vanished beneath the bed, only a corner of her blanket giving her away as she screeched, “Ah  _ fuck _ it happened again!” Molly laughed as he told them, “At least it’s over now.” Jester pouted as she sighed, “You guys were so cute too. I kind of liked how sweet you all were and Nott was  _ so tiny _ you guys!” Groans sounded around the room as Beau moaned, “Aw man, I can’t believe we got hit again.” 

After they got themselves put together, Jester putting away the kid stuff and teasing them with a “you never know~”, they went downstairs to meet up with Bryce. Jester had told the watchmaster of the state of their younger party members the night before. 

The returned members of The Mighty Nein offered their thanks to the half-elf and apologized for any inconveniences. More accurately, Fjord did, the others were refusing to talk to anyone about their previous state. Instead they drank, hoping to wipe the experience from existence by virtue of getting blackout drunk.


End file.
